FIFTY-FOUR years to this year in 1970, the Zambezi region (Caprivi Strip then) experienced a dry climatic weather spell coupled with a very low crop harvest. The poor harvest impacted on the lives of the people in the Strip in general and pupils in particular. 

Consequently, the latter dropped from school which interrupted their learning programme as they were forced to repeat their grades the following year. 

The situation forced some learners into seeking casual employment, to make ends meet and to feed their parents. 

The situation was arrested by Providence with two main contributors which mitigated the condition. 

The first one was the Coley Hall trucks which ferried bulk  maize meal from the then Rhodesia (Zimbabwe today) and the other was the role played by a certain Sechocho with the government food distribution programme. 

Sechocho left two legacies in the
Zambezi region through a sipelu song titled, Sechocho namalyanga, upanga
 jabula meaning Sechocho, a notorious man, who brews traditional beer. 

The other one is a village named after him in the Kaliyangile district. 

I later learnt during my tertiary studies at the University of the North (now Limpopo University) that Sechocho originated from the Limpopo Province of South Africa, near Polokwane. 

What is important here is that the situation was nipped in the bud before the starvation situation deteriorated to greater proportions. 

However, the situation evokes a bitter nostalgia when one learns today that many Zimbabweans are buying maize meal in Botswana and Namibia. 

It is true when the saying implies that days cannot fit equally on top of each other every time (mazyubva kaalyi kambvami). It might also be true that African countries keep on exchanging pain. 

Maybe it might not be our own making, but we can improve the situation through political will. 

However, waiting for the hunger situation to deteriorate to such an extent that people become walking skeletons cannot add up, when there are members of parliament who should take care of the interests of the electorate. 

The El Niño in which the weather had many side effects by bringing less rain leading to crop failure visited the SADC region this year. The crops failed and by now many people are already starving considering that they came out of their fields with almost nothing. 

Despite the desperate situation, the authorities seem to be either relaxing in starting providing the nation with food or not willing to divulge its food distribution programme. 

Namibia’s sister country, Zambia has already declared the state of poor harvest a national disaster and have appealed to the world community to assist in this situation. 

The head of state has equally restricted unnecessary trips by ministers and other officials within and outside the country so that all “ngwees” can be channeled to food purchasing and distribution. 

As usual many affected countries are likely to appeal to the international community for assistance, which is really appalling considering the many years of
Independence, in which African countries were supposed to be self-sufficient in terms of food production and security. 

There could be arguments that Africa is feeding herself, but the situation across the continent narrates a different tale of food production and security. 

The wisdom from the Biblical Joseph who was tasked to collect and store food during those years of plenty has eluded many African leaders. 

Had this strategy been used, many African nations, would not starve at all this year. 

Depending on foreign nations to feed the continent can lead to many cases of perceived and non-perceived vulnerability, in which people are exposed to risks. Sometimes the food which is given to Africa in the form of humanitarian aid by the West are cereals cultivated and stored in silos many decades ago. 

On a political note, Namibia is going to the polls at the end of the year to elect members of parliament and the president. With the rate and impact of starving in the country, many politicians are likely to use food as a campaign weapon. 

This system has been used on a small scale in the past, but this time around, it might be amplified leading to falsified election results based on cheating and fraud. 

In reality whatever happens, all Namibian politicians are obliged to serve every citizen of this country with integrity and honesty, an oath which they took and promised to uphold.

*Professor Makala Lilemba is an academician, author, diplomat, motivational leader, researcher and scholar.